We had 11 people show for the TNR including a few new people that Bambo brought from AEP. Brett came up with the route this week and he decided to lead us to Easton. We rode east on the I-670 trail to Airport Road, then turned up North Cassady, Drake and Steltzer. We headed north, then took Easton Circle and ended up at roll: for a pitstop. Then we headed through Easton riding around the fountain a couple times for good measure before heading to Morse. We took Morse to High and headed south. People started peeling off at that point. I ended with 27.5 miles, but the official ride was closer to 23 miles. Great night for riding. No mechanicals and no drama.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

It’s been a little over two months of not using an automobile for personal transportation, and in this post I will analyze the financial savings that I have realized in this time. I did my analysis using Microsoft Excel. In January and February I commuted by bicycle or bus a total of 36 days or 72 trips, not counting holidays and vacation days. Of those 72 trips I took the bus 32 times. February was a really cold, wet, and snowy month in Charlotte so I took the bus a lot in February.

The streets of our cities and towns are an important part of the livability of our communities. They ought to be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper. But too many of our streets are designed only for speeding cars, or worse, creeping traffic jams.

Now, in communities across the country, a movement is growing to complete the streets. States, cities and towns are asking their planners and engineers to build road networks that are safer, more livable, and welcoming to everyone.

Instituting a complete streets policy ensures that transportation planners and engineers consistently design and operate the entire roadway with all users in mind - including bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and riders, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Some central Ohio communities want their bike paths and trails to connect people to places, not lead to dead ends.

In Knox County, for example, the Mount Vernon City Council has voted to negotiate to acquire about 3 acres of abandoned railway along Foundation Park to eventually connect with the Kokosing Gap Trail. That path is part of the Ohio to Erie Trail, which aims to connect Cleveland to Cincinnati.

"The idea is to put all of this together, and make that linkage," said Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis. Funding would be both public and private.

After a long and crappy week at work I decided I needed to do a solo adventure ride to be alone for awhile. So I thought, why not try to ride from Columbus to Wheeling, WV via National Road. I was planning on doing this with Brett and Kevin this summer, but I figured I would try it solo first.

So on Friday night I sheepishly announced to my wife that I was going to ride my bicycle from Columbus to Wheeling on National Road on Saturday. Her response was, "alone?," which I immediately confirmed as affirmative. Brett was bummed out when he found out because he was busy, and I knew Kevin wasn't available to ride this weekend.

I started from the east side of Columbus on East Broad and headed down Waggoner to Main and then set out on National Road.

Here are the highlights;

Two sections of National Road west of Zanesville and west of New Concord have bike lanes.

Zanesville has a Y shaped bridge over the river. Pretty cool. see pics below

Cambridge is pretty ugly. no pics

Lots of climbing.

Passed an amish buggy before Quaker City. no pics, didn't want to offend

Mile 85 had 16% climb just past Quaker City - ouch, I had to walk it between the gearing and fatigue.

Three dogs chased me. I barked back at all three.

Bypass #1 turns into rutted gravel roads. The cows all stopped eating to stare at me as I passed by. see pics below

Two friendly honks while passing.

Google Maps is not always correct even when reviewing the satellite (see Google snafu below)

Mile 120 riding through Bridgeport OH I had a Hummer driver honk for a quarter of a mile while passing me. I didn't have enough energy to catch up to them.

This was the most mileage and climbing I have ever done in one day.

Google Map snafuThe issue with National Road is in two sections I-70 replaced the original National Road. The first bypass is marked clearly and provides a viable but challenging detour. The second section is literally less than two miles difference between Rt 800 and the continuation of National Road, but the bypass is either heading south through Barnesville or taking gravel roads 9 miles north of I-70. I found this out the hard way by relying on Google Maps.

The Google map for bypass #2 is incorrect. The road didn't connect to the County Road 100 that I needed to get to. There was a creek that was 4 feet deep and 15 feet wide that I couldn't cross and I was in the middle of a nature preserve with no way out except climbing on dirt roads. I was about to give up when a good samaritan (Thanks Kenny!) put my bike in the trunk and drove me around to National Road. I jumped back on the bike after resting in the car and finished it out. The bypass will need to be expanded further out and may end up being about 9 miles.

My lower back was sore toward the end of the ride from the last few climbs through St. Clairsville, OH, but my legs felt pretty good. The ride starts in the Columbus lowlands and climbs toward the hills of the Ohio Valley and then drops down to the river valley in the last 10 miles. see stats below

I want to send out a huge thanks to my wife Christina for supporting me on this ride. She is an angel! Thank you to my friends Kevin and Carolyn for being there at the end with cheers (and a hot shower). A big shout out to Kenny for getting me around the obstacle and back on track. he truly is a generous person.

About

We’ve been watching the increase in bike usage in cities around the world for about ten years. It’s been fun.Copenhagen has challenged Amsterdam as the center of biking fashion. Paris launched its Vélib program and now thousands of Parisians get around on city-owned bikes. Berlin, Barcelona, Seville, and numerous other cities throughout Europe followed. New York has put in bike lanes along 9th Avenue and bike racks all over the city. Portland has become the commuter bike capital of North America.

Videos are popping up in cities like Cleveland to support progressive transportation policies and the rights of pedestrians and bikers. David Byrne has been holding town hall meetings across the U.S. to support smarter urban planning. Our very own San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has been growing in double digits and now boasts over 11,000 lively members. Many hotels now offer bikes for their guests.

You would have to be hiding under a rock not to see that in almost all cities people are seeking more clever and fun alternatives to the car for getting around. The movement aims to change the world—I say let's have some fun doing just that.

PUBLIC D1 in white with basket

We’re joining the movement this spring with a small collection of modern bikes and gear. We will be launching this collection in April. Our bikes have been designed around the style and principles of the classic city bikes of Europe, updated with new technology and modern materials, and adapted to the U.S. market. We have two classic European frame styles, both unisex, both made from strong lightweight steel. We designed them for all sizes and ages and made them especially female-friendly. We will have four colors and three gear configurations all using internal hubs. We think our bikes are pretty, but you can be the judge. Prices will range from about $650 to $1200.

We will happily give you more specifics upon request, just send us a note. If you happen to live in the Bay Area, you are welcome to drop by and take a test ride. Just give us a call to make an appointment, 415-896-0123. In mid-April our online store will be live and we will have detailed specifications. We are also recruiting people, sending out a catalog and a newsletter. The best way to keep abreast of our activity is to sign up for our newsletter.

For the past several years, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has been working closely with local, state and national partners around the country on the Campaign for Active Transportation.

Building on the successes of the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, the ACT Act would establish a competitive active transportation investment fund, to invest in walking and bicycling improvements in targeted communities around the country.

These resources would enable communities to build interconnected systems—allowing people to travel between the places they work, live, play, learn and shop without needing car.

If the act is passed, the U.S. Department of Transportation will administer a competitive fund, which will invest in communities that best make the case for resources to shift large numbers of trips from driving to walking and bicycling.

The two billion-dollar program, with funds set aside within the Surface Transportation Program, will allow dozens of communities nationally to improve their walking and bicycling networks.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

We had seven riders out for the TNR. A few of the MNR crew rode by as we were leaving, but they did not join us. They all had quizzical looks on their faces, probably from the rumors of our fast paces and inability to stop at parks to drink beer every three miles. We headed north on High and stopped at Paradise Garage to say hi. North to Broadway where we headed to the trail and then went all the way to Hills Market. We crossed over and headed up the hill into the neighborhoods. From there we wound our way down to Hard Road. We took Hard Road and turned south to Wilson. Wilson over to High and then due south on High. I had about 28 miles for the loop. Thirty total for me, others mileage varied based on starting points. Got a little cool over the course of the ride, but not too bad.

Monday, March 22, 2010

In 1996 Sci’con introduced the first revolutionary Roller System ™ to simplify saddle fixing and release of saddlebags. New Roller 2.0 represents a step forward in the evolution of Roller system. This innovative fixing system allows you to quickly and easily remove the saddlebag from its quick release mount under the saddle. The mount installs without any tools and the saddlebags with 2 tire levers included snaps in very securely. The integration of 2 tire levers in the mount guarantees more space in a smaller bag dimension!

The attach system is guarantee by the legendary and tested Roller System that allows to remove the bag from its saddle lock in a few minutes with an easy movement, without the aid of tools.

Feds Deem Pedestrians, Cyclists and Motorists Equals

At long last, the feds have said the needs of pedestrians and cyclists must be placed alongside, not behind, those of motorists.

In what amounts to a sea change for the Department of Transportation, the automobile will no longer be the prime consideration in federal transportation planning. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the needs of pedestrians and cyclists will be considered along with those of motorists, and he makes it clear that walking and riding are “an important component for livable communities.”

“People across America who value bicycling should have a voice when it comes to transportation planning,” LaHood wrote on his blog. “This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.”

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Brett and I rode from the east side north through New Albany and then east over to the Thomas J. Evans Foundation Bikeway or the Johnstown to Newark trail. We rode to the terminus and then headed back west. We stopped in Granville for some refreshments. As we were heading down the trail a bunch of people were stopped. So we stopped. We came to find out that on a farm adjacent to the trail someone was shooting a gun and the strays were hitting pretty close to the trail. Of course, we had already passed by the trouble area without any trouble. We continued south east and Brett turned off to head home in town. Finished with 55.5 miles and averaged 15.8mph.

I decided to head over to Wheeling for a ride with Kevin. I was surprised to see Stephan and Chaz show up for the ride as well. We headed south on the Heritage trail and then east out through Elm Grove. We had a pitstop at Wheelcraft bikes to say hi to Andy and Cindy. Then we jumped on National Road and headed out past West Alexander to Dutch Fork. Dutch Fork used to have a sizable lake, but several years ago the dam cracked after heavy rains and the Corp drained it. You can see the boundary of what used to be the lake, but it is overgrown. I noticed that my front tire was slowly losing pressure so we stopped and pumped up the tire. When we got to Bethany I decided we should change the tube, so we changed it while we replenished with food and drink. My Armadilloes are wearing and a shard cut through the tread.

Chaz and Stephan needed to leave so they headed out route 88 towards Oglebay Park. Kevin and I started out 67 and a the top of the first hill I realized that the replacement tube was leaking as well. I realized that I was given a replacement Specialized tube by someone that had a hole in it. Thanks! Kevin had a spare and so we replaced it and pumped it up.

We rode out to Wellsburg and then south on the trail and route 2 to bypass the incomplete section and back onto the trail.

Rick Tilton City of Columbus, Department of Public Service Assistant Director 645-7263

The City of Columbus proposes to install 189 pavement markings or “sharrows” (pictured) on High Street between Nationwide Boulevard and Morse Road in spring 2010. These pavement markings are part of the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan adopted by City Council in 2008 and would serve as companion signage to 54 Share the Road signs installed on the same section of North High Street in the fall of 2009.

The word SHARROW is a combination of SHared lane and ARROW. Shared-lane pavement markings, or sharrows, are bicycle symbols. The graphics are intended to guide bicyclists to the best place to ride, avoid opened car doors and remind drivers to share the road with cyclists. Shared lanes are different than bike lanes which are set aside for bicyclists and marked by a solid white line and a different symbol. Several cities have already installed sharrows, including Austin, Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville, Miami Beach, Pittsburgh, Portland and Salt Lake City.

Radio host Kornheiser apologises to Armstrong

Lance Armstrong will confront US radio talkshow host Tony Kornheiser today after the sports journalist recommended running riders down during an anti-cycling rant.

The seven-time Tour de France winner wrote on his Twitter page: "... Just off the phone w/ Tony Kornheiser who's very sorry 4 his comments re: cyclists. Going on the show 2morrow 2 discuss this w/ him."

However, Kornheiser's colleagues at radio station ESPN980 seem far from contrite. After Armstrong's original Tweet, in which he branded Kornheiser "a complete f-ing idiot", they wrote on their Twitter page: "Hoping to be a Trending Topic Worldwide today, keep your fingers crossed..." Armstrong's response? "How douchebags apologize."

BAXTER, IA (BRAIN)—Phil Wood, the man responsible for sealed hubs and bottom brackets, died this week on his farm in Baxter, Iowa. He was 84.

He started the Phil Wood Company in 1971 as primarily a hub maker, though he offered other components. He sold the business to Peter Enright and a group of investors in 1991.

“I feel so lucky to have talked with him about a week before he passed away, and he mentioned again that he was so lucky to sell the business when he did,” said Enright, Phil Wood Company’s president. more...

Our mission at CommuteByBike.com is to provide you with the knowledge, reviews, tips and how to advice for your commuting endeavors.

History :

CommuteByBike.com has been active since the spring of 2005. All the contributors to this site have a wealth of experience and commuting history. We believe that bicycles can solve many of the worlds issues, relieve stress, and great a healthy lifestyle.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Seven showed up. We rode from Goodale east over to the 670 trail. The trail is full of glass. We hopped onto Leonard and then 5th Ave out to the airport. We rode the airport rollercoaster to the entrance and jogged south over to Cassady. Andrew headed west home and we headed south into Bexley. We took Main to Kroger and got on the trail north to Franklin Park where we stopped to see the community garden. Up Bryden to Oak and we had pizza and beer at Yellow Brick Pizza. Total was 23 miles. We had a couple of new people show up as well. Looking forward to more rides like this.

Monday, March 15, 2010

After a ceremonious kickoff almost two years ago, the city of Columbus has made little progress on its plan to add 50 miles of bicycle projects, including new trails.

Plans to spend tens of millions of dollars by 2012 building bike bridges, trails, lanes along roads, and other improvements largely have gone nowhere, even though voters approved a bond issue in November 2008 that city officials said would help finance the projects.

The recession caused the city to scale back the plans, said Public Service spokesman Rick Tilton.

The TOSRV registration fee is $47 per person until March 15th, when it will increase to $57. COP members receive a $10 discount. The entry fee includes 1) baggage transportation to Portsmouth and back to Columbus (or Chillicothe), 2) indoor floor sleeping space or camping in Portsmouth on Saturday night, 3) food and beverage en route both days and donuts and hot chocolate in Portsmouth on Sunday morning, 4) a marked route, 5) first aid and communication services, 6) an embroidered patch, 7) TOSRV identification number, and 8) a certificate of participation.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Got out for a ride with Molly and we decided to ride a loop through Granville. At the start it was overcast but as we got about halfway to Granville it started to mist and light rain. Temp dropped to 42. We jumped on the trail outside of Alexandria and rode into Granville. Stopped in town for coffee to warm up. When we started back up our clothes were a little damp and we were cold so we picked up our pace and it made a big difference. Molly's rear wheel started making a noise similar to rim pad squeal but she wasn't breaking at the time. It happened about 5 times during the ride back and I suspect it is contaminated bearings. We finished just shy of 50 miles (49.8) and averaged 15.3mph.

Racing has sex appeal, romance, and a nearly irresistible allure, but let’s face it: The weekend club ride is not a race. But this doesn’t mean we should settle for anything less than the best.

Xenith Endura is built for speed, with the same exacting manufacturing processes, materials and engineering as our flagship Xenith racers—only it’s a little more relaxed, with a slightly longer wheelbase that adds stability, a more vertically compliant rear triangle for a smoother ride, and a bit more head tube height for a less demanding

riding position. It’s the perfect speedster for those of us who ride hard on the weekends, and count ourselves lucky

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Brett and I met Tim on High Street near Pacemont to ride to Hills Market. On the way down I realized my poorly mounted rear fender fell off somewhere on the road. Bummer. It was sprinkling when we started and the radar looked like the rain was going to move past us and it let up for a bit as we road north on the trail. The trail does have some low spots and we peddled through the deep puddles. Thankfully I was wearing neoprene shoe covers which keep the water out pretty well.

The Hills Market was pretty busy when we got there. We tried a whole bunch of Ohio produced foods including cheeses, sauces, beverages, and even free hot dogs. All great food, and I picked up a box of candy for my wife.

We headed back south and the rain picked up. By the time we got to where the trail connects with Olentangy Blvd my Showers Pass rain pants were starting to hold water in the fabric, but they never soaked through. As we started up the street we encountered a lively game of street hockey. They had a lull and I started riding through, when all of a sudden I hear screaming and they are going at it again. I continued to pedal and looked back but Brett was nowhere to be found. So I stopped and he cam riding up the road. He explained that he was in the middle of the scrum when they restarted and got knocked off his bike.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

THE HELIUM BIKE CASE was created for globetrotters who travel with their bicycles on airplanes, trains or buses. Traveling with a bicycle has never been this simple: the Helium is light and easy to carry and its revolutionary inflatable padding offers unrivaled protection. Thanks to its minimal dimensions, it fits easily in the trunk of even the smallest cars (width of100 cm). Every small detail has been looked into: the Helium bike case has special compartments for an extra wheelset and also for stowing you helmet, shoes and other essentials (pump, spare tubes, etc.) Developed with the input of pro cyclists, whose lives involve frequent air travel with bikes, The Helium is simply the best bike case on the market today. The Helium case is light, offers unsurpassed protections against impacts and allows you to pack your bike with only minor disassembly and without changing the adjustment of its components.

With progressive ideas, we developed a bike case offering superior function, simplicity and performance.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Washington, D.C. - March 10, 2010 - The League of American Bicyclists is proud to be the forum for Google to announce what all bike riders have been waiting for - Grab Your Bike and Go with Google Maps. Google is announcing at the Opening Plenary Session at the National Bike Summit that they are adding biking directions in the U.S. to Google Maps."This new tool will open people's eyes to the possibility and practicality of hopping on a bike and riding," said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists. "We know people want to ride more, and we know it's good for people and communities when they do ride more - this makes it possible. It is a game-changer, especially for those short trips that are the most polluting,"

Users can now choose biking when deciding how to get to their destination, starting today, March 10, 2010. If you're one of the 57 million Americans who ride a bike, mapping your daily commute, and planning recreational or trail rides just became easier. According to Google this has been the most requested addition to Google Maps, and the League is delighted that they have chosen the National Bike Summit to unveil this new feature. Google's announcement further proves the importance of the Summit and the bicycle movement in helping our nation become a more Bicycle Friendly America. The Google biking directions will make it that much easier for bicyclists to get to work, school or play.

This new feature includes: step-by-step bicycling directions; bike trails outlined directly on the map; and a new "Bicycling" layer that indicates bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly roads. The directions feature provides step-by-step, bike-specific routing suggestions - similar to the directions provided by our driving, walking, or public transit modes. Simply enter a start point and destination and select "Bicycling" from the drop-down menu. You will receive a route that is optimized for cycling, taking advantage of bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly streets and avoiding hilly terrain whenever possible.

Visit http://maps.google.com/biking to try out this new feature. Biking directions for Google Maps is currently in Beta. Follow the League's news feed on the new Google feature on the League's Blog, Facebook and Twitter. If you have any further questions, contact Meghan Cahill at 202.822.1333 or meghan@bikeleague.org.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

A Bike Theft in the Time of Twitter

Austin HorseImmediately after his bike was stolen, Austin Horse alerted his followers on Twitter, posting camera-phone images of the bike, including this one.

Austin Horse thought he was just leaving his bike for a second when he ran into the lobby of an office building at 28th Street and Madison Avenue last Tuesday afternoon to make a pickup.

Mr. Horse, a messenger since 2005, expected a quick turnaround — run up to the desk, get the package, get back on the bike — and locking his bright orange track bike would just slow the whole process. “I had it fakie-locked,” he said, describing how he had placed a U-lock through the back wheel without closing it, as a decoy. “Normally, a pickup like that, it takes 30 seconds.”

We're excited to announce that sponsorships for the 2010 Bike to Work Challenge (May 10-20) are now available!! You and/or your organization can contribute to Central Ohio's premier commuter cycling celebration --> learn how to reach thousands of cyclists and other professionals with your message! Our Sponsorship Coordinator is also available to help you get the best bang for your buck.

SPRING 'TRAFFIC SKILLS' COURSES

Get yourself, your friends & your colleagues prepped for spring cycling and the Bike to Work Challenge with one of these intensive traffic skills courses. All have on-road and classroom components, as well as parking lot drills for emergency maneuvers; all cost $60.

Wednesdays, March 17 & 24 @ 6:30-8:30pm

Saturdays, March 20 & 27 @ 10am-2pm

Instructors: David Jeffords & Randy Dull

Location: Greenovate, 9 East 2nd Ave

*Women-Only*

Sundays, April 11 & 18 @ 1-6pm both days

Instructors: Meredith Joy & Juana Sandoval

Location: OSU area

Saturdays, April 24 & May 1 @ 10am-5pm

Instructors: Ken Cohen & Michael Reed

Location: OSU Bevis Hall, 1080 Carmack Rd

Instructors can also work with you to create custom courses that precisely match the needs of your organization. Contact Ken Cohen soon to explore this option - our spring schedule is filling up fast!

UPDATE: WOMEN'S CYCLING FORUM

Twenty-one women attended our first conversational forum, providing keen insights into why they ride and what would help them ride more. Thanks to all of them for sharing their thoughts so generously! Over the course of four such forums this year, Yay Bikes! will develop a women's cycling agenda to implement in 2011.

If you weren't able to attend this event, there is still time to have your voice heard! Attend our future events on May 30, August 29 & November 14, and submit your responses to our three questions from last week:

What does the act of cycling mean to you?

What is your experience of cycling in Columbus?

What is your vision for cycling in Columbus?

We intentionally started with very broad questions that will give us the context from which we're now operating. Invite your women friends - cyclists or not - to future forums, to ensure the specific interventions we develop will resonate with the broader community of women!

MARCH 14 BOARD MEETING, 4-6pm

Our board meetings are open to the public and we encourage you to attend. The first meeting of our newly constituted board* will be held at Summit on 16th on March 14 (note the switch that day to Daylight Savings Time); the agenda will be to complete our 501c3 application & set our regular monthly meeting time. Please join us for the conversation!

One goal for Yay Bikes! is to support people as they become advocates for the kind of cycling they'd like to see in Central Ohio. This month, we feature Ken Cohen.

Over the past two years, Ken has emerged from his behind-the-scenes YayBikes.com "subverita" persona to become a frequent Pedal Instead volunteer, a cycling instructor certified through the League of American Bicyclists, an outspoken advocate in the Hilltop Mobility Plan process, a Bike to Work Challenge Planning Committee member, and Treasurer of the new Yay Bikes! board. [Whew! Quite an impressive list!] Ken possesses an unrivaled passion for bicycles and bicycling, and particularly for bicycling education, that inspires all who work with him. We can't wait to see what more he will bring to our community!

Greg Martin, a 37-year-old firefighter from Ketchum, Idaho, won the single-speed division (and came in fifth overall) on a bike that didn't have a chain. It used a smooth, silent, carbon-polyurethane belt — similar to that of auto transmission and timing belts — to prove that belt-drive, a new technology unknown to most bikers, is ready for prime time.

With dedicated chain rings required to match the studded belt, this Carbon Drive system from Gates, a leading motor-vehicle belt supplier, isn't cheap — and it can't be used with derailleurs. But the system offers a number of benefits over the 150-year-old chain. It's lighter; doesn't use grease; requires no maintenance; won't break, stretch, rust or fall off; and, best of all, it offers a pronounced improvement in "engagement" — the millisecond it takes for the bike to react to your pedaling forces.

Each of the four review bikes below (reflecting categories that are best suited to belt-drive) delivered an instant reaction that my cycling buddies and I found rather exhilarating.